Family Reunion
by Universitas
Summary: Bhelen meets with his older sister and realizes that some things never change.


**Family Reunion**_  
by Universitas_

I don't own Dragon Age. EA and Bioware do.

* * *

When his sister—former sister—stepped through the door with the wide grin of an idiot on her face, Bhelen almost believed that he had been lied to.

"Well, well. We meet again, little brother."

The prince resisted every urge to express disgust at the smooth, almost pleasant tone of her voice. Instead, he wore the diplomatic faint smile he had practiced for years and returned her greeting with one of his own. "_Atras vala._ It's been a while, Victoria."

One of the humans accompanying her looked down at her, eyebrow raised. "Wait, this is your _brother?_ But doesn't that mean…"

"It's a long story, Alistair. Maybe I can tell you later."

"Fine by me."

"You never told us you were dwarven royalty," an older human woman said.

"Because I never thought it was important. I'm a Grey Warden now, remember? I left my past behind."

"Anyways." Bhelen cut into their little side conversation. Sister or not, she was to remember that he was prince, and she an exile. "I'm somewhat surprised that you returned to Orzammar. And as a Grey Warden, too."

Victoria giggled—_giggled_. "As I just said, long story."

"Equally surprising is how you're helping me claim the throne."

"I don't hold grudges, little brother. So why don't we go somewhere private? I'd like to talk about Aeducan business."

"You're no Aeducan, Victoria. Not anymore."

"Oh, come on. If not as an Aeducan, then as an ally. How about that?"

Bhelen considered it for a long moment, casting glances aside at his guardsmen. He looked back at his exiled sister and nodded. "Very well. All of you. Leave us for now." The prince gave his sister a good hard look as the guards and her companions filed out of the room. Once the door was shut, he broke the silence. "What do want to speak to me about?"

At once, the cheerful, smiling face dropped. Victoria's eyes narrowed, lips curled into a smirk that oozed with every ounce of her cunning. Bhelen almost sighed with relief. "Well, it looks like the surface world didn't taint you after all," he said.

"I can't exactly put people to death left and right anymore. On the surface, I have to be _nice_ in order to get what I want." Victoria chortled. "It's not that hard, really. Take Alistair—you know, that grinning idiot with the sword and shield. All I needed to do was smile and laugh at his rather poor jokes long enough and he was spilling his past with all the grace of a drunken dwarf." She hopped up on his desk as if she had completely forgotten her inferiority to him. "I think he's coming on to me."

"That's even worse than you with Gorim."

Victoria almost unnoticeably furrowed her brow; a hint of lingering feelings for the exiled warrior, Bhelen surmised. "Well, Alistair does have his charms, simple-minded as he is. It's actually a refreshing change from the noble bastards gracing the streets of the quarter."

"Like you and me."

She tossed her head back and laughed. "Yes. Like you and me."

"All right," he said. "I'm sure you didn't want to talk about your relationship status, so let's cut to the chase already."

"Oh, nothing too big. I never got the chance to congratulate you."

He raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For besting me. Killing Trian, pinning it all on me, turning the entire Assembly against me. I honestly had no idea you had it in you, little brother. You gained a great deal of respect from me for what you accomplished." Victoria brushed some of her brown hair out of her eyes. "I don't want to help you just because you're my brother. Think of my aid as… a victory present." She slid off the desk and faced him to dip into a half-mocking bow. "So, _your Highness_, what do you wish of me?"

* * *

This is just something that popped into my head while I was writing Chapter 14 of _Cages_. My second playthrough has me playing a Dwarven Noble, and this is how I imagine her reunion with her backstabbing brother. One thing I like about Dragon Age is how the game doesn't align any particular action with a good/evil alignment. So my Dwarven Noble can be saintly and nice not because she's saintly and nice, but because it's the best way to go about things now that she's lost her noble status.

For my _Cages_ readers: don't worry, Chapter 14 will be up as soon as I finish it!


End file.
